RSD 2015 sound reviews

And what can be seen in the poster? If it's Iggy giving the finger I'll pull the trigger.

 

Y'know, I don't have kids, but being a baseball fan, I think I actually want to pick up one of these.

 

I also get skipping on the mono "I've Been Loving You Too Long". Neither the stereo version nor the 7" skipped. I have # 4368

I also have the issue with Willie's Teatro where side 1 song 1 starts with crackly surface noise. Teatro sounds very good but each side has some warpage and is off centered a bit.

 

Slim Dunlap double LP of his two solo LPs sounds excellent. Not sure what source they were cut from, but to my ears they sound nice. Only issue is they include a 45 rpm adapter in the package, which left a nice little warp where it was situated up against the 2nd LP. Luckily my stylus tracks it fine.

Another United pressing that is excellent. I have to say that United's quality has improved immensely, as quite a few RSD releases were pressed there without any real defects.

 

Mine too. Broke my heart. This album sounds AMAZING to say the least.

 

Man - I didn't know this was a release. I need to get this.

 

I wanted to write on the Steve Reich Music For 18 Musicians double-LP release. It's an interesting release for a RSD. It comes from a digital source. It was mastered by Robert Ludwig at Gateway in Portland, ME, and done to vinyl by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman. Good people working on this for sure.

If you don't know it, this piece is a legendary one in the minimalism school of music, but very approachable. It morphs chords and textures using acoustic instruments and voices in and out of the picture to create one-propulsive work. In one way, the piece reminds of Ravel's Bolero, which a repetitive melody is altered and built on through the alteration of instrumental color. Reich is working from a more limited array of instruments here, but this piece is not all that far off in spirit. One of the potential catches of getting this piece on vinyl is that, in spite of it being labeled in many movements, it's one interrupted piece of music lasting about an hour. The nature of time limitations on a well produced LP will require the work being divided into multiple side or sides. The original performance of the work by the Steve Reich Ensemble was on a single LP. Later the performance was released on CD, allowing for the entire work to be heard uninterrupted as intended, but you got CD quality sound rather than the original analog.

Here comes this fairly recent performance by the Steve Reich Ensemble done specifically for a CD box set of his music on Nonesuch. This vinyl edition is the first time it has been released on vinyl.

It's an amazing work, for one. It's hypnotic, in fact. And it really requires your undivided attention to really appreciate its greatness. But dividing the work onto 4 sides interrupts the flow to some extent. It was my reticence in getting the recent AP 2-disc 45rpm of Coltrane's "A Love Supreme". I have the Speakers Corner reissue. To me, having each "movement" of the work flow into the next adds to the impact. To have each one separate, as would be the case with the 45rpm, would potentially reduce the dramatic impact. And what an amazing work it is! But perhaps improved sound quality and potential increase in musical impact while you're listening trumps the interruption in flow.

If that's the case with you, then by all means, go for this quite limited edition of Music For 18 Musicians.

Interestingly, this is not a traditional audiophile grade music. There are no frequency or macro-dynamic extreme instruments here. There are no basses or piccolos or cymbals or drums. It's singers, piano, vibraphone, clarinets, etc. There aren't big booms of music, there isn't deep bass to hear. It's all instrumental textures and micro-dynamics, along with transients of precision fast repetitive rhythm. This album will show off the more subtle abilities of your system, or lack thereof. Unlike with the original ECM performance, which is recorded from a further distance between the instruments and the microphones, this recording was recorded with the instruments much closer. You get a relatively flat soundstage. Not completely flat, but instruments are either quite close to moderately close (though none are in your face either, like with some recordings when you feel like your in the orchestra pit.). The soundstage, though, is very wide. And you will hear each instrument as it gets louder or softer or lays out entirely. You hear when the wordless singers come in and when they stop. Individual instrumental textures are quite apparent, and moreso than on the original ECM, where the textures are much more blended and congealed. The latter has its merits, too.

On the downside, I'll say that this recording has a bit of the dryness that can be associated with digital. Instruments are not quite as fleshy and juicy as they could be, but that's minor. The main drawback here is that the music is on 4 sides. I wish I were quicker at changing records.

The vinyl, itself, came white paper/rice paper sleeves, sleeved in a gatefold cover with good, extensive notes of the music and composer itself in the gatefold. One of the LPs had a little bit of fairly fast, but small warps. My peripheral clamp flattened the LP. The other disc was flat. Both discs were quiet.

In the end, if you're already a fan of this piece and you love how good vinyl can sound, this would be a good choice. If you're less familiar with this piece, you might start with the CD of the original ECM version (the CD of this later performance is not available individually outside of the box set). The CD allows you to sink into the performance in one sitting as intended.

 

Gwar - America Must Be Destroyed sounds great despite the pressing issues. It's cleaner than the CD version for sure. Drums sound more in the room than the CD, heavier and deeper bass tracks, it's basically everything you want in a rock pressing from that era.

One of the discs was cut super uneven and was warped due to the dinosaur pop-up. I was also missing a label on side 2. I'm not sure if this is a "rare" item with the missing label but I'll take it b/c I probably won't buy another copy.

All sides are 45 rpm and sound pretty clean for the condition of the pressing. The holes in the center of the record are also kind of popping up a bit.

Not a super job on the pressing but the sound is great.

 

I had already posted about Teatro, but I'll mention it briefly again. My copy had a little crackle during the first cut, but not for long and it certainly doesn't overwhelm the first cut, a beautiful instrumental. Every copy will likely vary, though. I'm glad I largely got a really good copy. The 3rd side is relatively the most noisy for me, with a few repetitive ticks and a pop or two.

 

I'm not sure if anyone has commented on the music and sound of the Herman's Hermits Blaze, released as a single 12", full LP cut at 45rpm.

 

Two more that sounded really good:
Pop Group - Versions Galore, white vinyl cut at 45rpm
Jaco Pastorius - Anthology. Really nice quiet pressing and great sonics.

Three that did not sound that great and the pressings were less than stellar.... The three Flaming Lips 10" releases. Sonically not much, and the pressing of each had more noise than I care for.

 

I was wondering if the Steve Reich - Music For 18 Musicians would get a mention here. It is a wonderful listening experience, not hindered for me by the break in sides. The music is mesmerizing and the pressing is first class. Not sure how limited it is, and I only saw it at one shop, which leans toward electronic and experimental music. I would bet fans of ambient or space rock would enjoy this, it really is an easy, and I found, relaxing, listen.

 

Anyone?
it contains Steven Wilson's upcoming remixes of the first Roxy album.

 

Thanks for the detailed information.

That box set is available at the moment from amazon.uk for only 17 pounds (whereas the ECM edition of 18 Musicians on its own is 12). Sold!

 

I did a brief review back in the RSD thread (it was the first thing I played). No issues with the pressing. The extended 'Ladytron' runs about seven and a half minutes, most of the extra running time coming from an extended electronic / ambient intro (MUCH more Eno apparent in this full length version) and a longer freakout outro that comes to a full ending. The song in the middle is basically the same as the familiar album version. The remix of 'The Numberer' is really good, and kind of combines the virtues of the two previous mixes. It's got the electronic opening from the old stereo mix and the more prominent synth of the original mono. Can't wait for the main event!

 

1) Yes, Turntable Baseball is hot garbage sonically
2) Yes, I bought football last year and it's every bit as bad, but it's also every bit as good in so many other ways, hence I went back to the well for baseball (knowing it was not going to be an audiophile pressing)

 

So in all seriousness, are you glad you bought both of them and recommend them?

 

Yeah, they're a riot. Just don't expect good sonics and all will be well.

 

The infield dirt built into the vinyl won't ruin my stylus, will it?

 

Let's hope not! I *think* they're just bad/noisy pressings, but you never know...

 

I have to question whether you've actually heard any of their music if you think they sound anything like ZZ Top. Also don't know what you mean by "depth". The White Stripes are one of my favorite bands ever. I don't understand why everyone doesn't think they are great.

 

I haven't seen where anyone else bought it, but Dolly Parton's "The Grass Is Blue" might be the quietest vinyl I own. Sounds great - good album.

 

Any intel on R&B Hipshakers Vol 3: Just A Little Bit Of The Jumpin' Bean 7" box set?

 

Thank you!

 

I saw it at Bullmoose. It looks cool. I'm curious, too.